ABSTRACT
I. Definition 227
II. Anatomy of the Cerebellum 228
III. Pathophysiology of Cerebellar Tremor 229
IV. Etiology of Cerebellar Tremor 231
V. Treatment of Cerebellar Tremor 233
VI. Nonpharmacologic Interventions 235
VII. Surgical Interventions 235
References 238
I. DEFINITION
Cerebellar tremor is a proximal 3-5 Hz action tremor in one or both extremities
ipsilateral to a lesion of the deep cerebellar nuclei or the outflow tracts of these
nuclei in the superior cerebellar peduncle. Action tremor occurs during voluntary
contraction of skeletal muscles and is categorized as postural or kinetic. Postural
tremor refers to oscillation of a body part while it is maintained against gravity,
such as holding the arms out. Kinetic tremor refers to oscillation during guided
voluntary movement and may be evident on finger-to-nose testing, or during
activities such as eating or drinking. Kinetic tremors are further divided into
simple kinetic or intention tremors. Simple kinetic tremor occurs during directed
voluntary movements. Intention tremor is characterized by increasing amplitude
of oscillation during pursuit of a target. The terms intention tremor and cerebellar
tremor are often used interchangeably.
